Vending machine



A ril 13, 1965 J. T- SCHULLER VENDING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 6, 1964 7 mm mu M B mu :T T n I 7 l f 7 5 Z 3 3 4 W um 3 3 2 4 5 mm 0 0d 3 4 3 N o 0 7 2 7 3 3 a II 9 06 [V 6 5 N M Kw w w 7. l

FIGI.

A ril 13, 1965 Jf'r. SCHULLER VENDING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 6, 1964 wi m 1 7 7 9 6 6 6 m m 5 TW E q w G.

A 5 y 7 F III II 11111 United States Patent Edlhfihfi Patented Apr. 13, 1%65 3,178,055 VENDING ltiACHlNE James T. Schuller, St. Ann, Mm, assignor to Universal Match Corporation, Ferguson, Men, a corporation of Delaware Filed Elan. 6, 1964, Ser. No. 335,782 Claims. (Cl. 221-75) This invention relates to vending machines, and more particularly to a vending machine for vending articles such as packaged items (candy bars, for example).

The invention is concerned with a vending machine of the so-called spiral vendor type shown in US. Patent 3,085,711. In that patent, there is shown a machine having shelves located one above another in the cabinet, each shelf having a helix extending horn near one side of the cabinet to near its other side for feeding items positioned on the shelf between the convolutions of the helix elf one end of the shelf at one side of the machine, the shelves being swingable downward for loading thereof from the top. Among the several objects of this invention may be noted the provision of a novel construction for a machine of this class or" relatively high capacity and in which the helices are slidable forward out of the cabinet for loading from the top, as distinguished from being swingablc downward; the provision of a machine of this class in which items to be dispensed are visible to a customer through a window in the front door of the cabinet, lined up from front-to-rear of the cabinet, as distinguished from being lined up from side-to-side of the cabinet, the front item viewed by the customer being the item which is vended; and the provision of a machine of this class so constructed as to provide for disengagement of each helix from its drive means when the helix is moved out for loading, thereby avoiding electrical wiring problems. Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the constructions hereinafter described, the scope of the invention being indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which one of various possible embodiments of the invention is illustrated,

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a vending machine of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal section on line 22 of HG. 1, showing in dotted lines moved positions of certain parts;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical section on line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section on line 44 of FIG. 3; and

PEG. 5 is an enlarged vertical section on line 5-5 of FIG. 2.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, first more particularly to FIG. 1, a vending machine of this invention is shown to comprise a cabinet generally designated 1 standing on legs 3. The cabinet has a bottom wall 5, left and right side walls 7 and 9, a top wall 11, a rear wall 13 and a front door 15. The letter is hinged at the left as indicated at 17.

Within the cabinet, there are a plurality of shelves, each designated 19. By way of example, there are six such shelves in the cabinet, but this number is arbitrary. The shelves are fixed in the cabinet, extending from one side of the cabinet to the other. Each shelf, for example, may have a flange 21 at the rear by means of which it is secured at the rear to the rear wall 13 of the cabinet, and flanges 2.3 at the sides by means of which it is secure to the side walls '7 and 9 of the cabinet. The door 15 is recessed as indicated at 25 to provide a space forward of the front edges of the shelves when the door is close The shelves are relatively closely spaced for maximum utilization of space within the cabinet.

As shown, each shelf 19 carries a row of elongate slides 27, each of which is adapted to be pulled out of the cabinet when the door 15 is open, and to be slid back into the cabinet, after which the door may be closed. Four such slides are shown on each shelf, but this number is arbitrary. Each slide, as illustrated, is a sheet metal member of channel shape or trough shape in transverse cross ection with a pair of outwardly extending horizontal flanges. The bottom of the channel, which is designated 29, is flat. The sides of the channel, which are flat and vertical, are designated 31. The flanges, which are desig nated 33, are flat flanges extending laterally outward from the upper edges of the sides 31 of the channel.

The slides are guided for sliding movement in frontto-rear direction on the shelves by guides such as indi cated at 35 and 37 secured on the shelves, guides 35 being the guides for the outer sides of the extreme left and right-hand shelves, and guides 37 being common to adjacent slides on a shelf. The guides have vertical legs 39 spaced apart a distance corresponding to the width of a slide (i.e., the width of the slide as measured between the edges of flanges 33) and horizontal flanges 41 below the upper edges of legs 39 overlying the flanges 33 of the slides. The flat bottoms 29 of the channel-section slides slide on the shelves l9, legs 39 of the guides 35 and 37 corfine the slides against lateral movement, and flanges 41 of the guides prevent tilting of the slides.

Each slide carries a helix 43 extending lengthwise in the channel or trough of the slide. The diameter of the helix is greater than the depth of the channel, and the helix projects up out of the channel. Items A to be vended, such as candy bars or packages of candy, may be placed between the convolutions of each helix with end portions of the items resting on guide flanges 41, or, in the case of items of shorter length, on the flanges 33 of the slide. Means indicated at 45 is provided for rotating each helix in such direction as to feed the items, by the screw action of the helix, in forward direction toward the front end of the slide. Each helix extends to the front end of its respective slide so that it is adapted to feed items one-by-one ed the front end of the slide.

The means for rotating each helix 43 is shown to comprise an electric motor l7 in assembly with a speedreducing gear box 49, each such assembly being secured in position at the rear of the cabinet. The shaft 51 of the motor is coupled to the input of the gear box, and the output shaft 53 of the gear box extends forward coaxial with the respective helix. Secured on the forward end of the output shaft 53 is a clutch element in the form of disk 55 having a diametric groove 57 in its forward face. Each helix is formed at its rearward end with a diametric end portion or tail 59 engageable in the groove.

.close'the opening 63. The front items on the slides are visible through the Window panes. Channels 69 extend lengthwise on the outside of each bar 65, and switches of are mounted in these channels, each switch being located immediately below its respective helix so that it is apparout that pushing the button of a switch will effect delivery of the forward item A on the respective slide viewed through the respective window pane. Channels ea house the wiring W for the. motors, the wiring being carried around into the cabinet at the hinged side of the door.

At the bottom of the door is a delivery opening '71 extending from near one side of the door to near its other side. Thedoor carries a delivery pm 73 in back of this opening. The usual coin slot in the door is indicated at 75, the usual door lock is indicated at 77. 'At 79 is indicated the usual coin return button, and at 81 is indicated the usual coin return cup.

Suitable circuitry, such as shown in US. Patent 3,985,- 711, for example, is provided for effecting single-revolution operation of each disk 55 on operation of the respective switch at under control of suitable coin mechanism.

To load the machine with items A, the door 15 is swung open as indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 2. 'Each slide 27 may then be pulled out to a loading position such as indicated in dotted lines for the left-hand slidein FIG. 2. As the slide is pulled out, the helix carried by the slide moves out with the slide, the tail 59 or" the helix coming out of the groove 57 in the face of the respective disk 55. ltems A may now be readily placed between the convolutions of the helix from the top, and then the slide is pushed back in to its retracted vending position within the cabinet wherein the forward end of the slide is located generally at the forward end of the respective shelf 19. When the slide is pushed back in, tail 59 of the helix enters the groove '7 in the respective dislr'55, assuming the tail and the groove are aligned. If the tail and groove are out of alignment at this time, the rear end of the helix will simply be compressed, and then by operating the respective switch 61 to rotate the disk, the groove 5'7 may be brought around to register with the tail, whereupon the latter snaps into the groove.

As to each slide 27 and helix 43, the front item A is ward end of the slide. (and the forward ends of guide flanges 41), and the discharged item falls through space 25 to the delivery pan 73, from which it may be taken out through delivery opening 73.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As various changes could be made in the above con: structions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. A vending machine comprising a cabinet having a front door, a plurality of slides in the cabinet, means in the cabinet mounting each slide for forward sliding movement when the door is open away'from a retracted position within the cabinet, each slide having a channel extending in front-to-rear direction in respect to the cabinet, and a helix extending lengthwise in the channel and projecting up out of the channel whereby items to be vended may be placed between the convolutions of the helix, said helix, upon rotation thereof in one direction, being adaptvan-e5 delivery to a purchaser, the slides being located one above another in the cabinet, the means for rotating the helices being leca ed at the rear of the cabinet and each helix being disengageable from its respective rotating means when the respective slide is moved forward away from its retracted position, the means for rotating each helix including a drive element having a forwardly facing groove,

I the helix having a tail at its rearward end axially engageable in'and disengageable from the groove.

.2. A vending machine comprising a cabinet having a rent door, a plurality of rows of slides in the cabinehsaid rows being located one above another, means in the cabinet mounting each slide for'forward sliding movement when the door is open away rem a retracted position within the cabinet, each slide having a channel extending in front-to-rear direction in respect to the cabinet, and a helix extending lengthwise in the channel and proiecting up out of the c annel whereby items to be yen-led may be paced between the convolutions of thehelix, lined up from frontto rear, said helix, upon rotation thereof in one direction, being adapted to feed said items forward 7 along the slide and to discharge the forward item on the forward end of theslide, and means for rotating each helix in said one direction to discharge the forward item, there being a space between the front of the'door and the forward ends of theslides when the slides are in retracted position and the door is closed through which an item discharged from the forward end of an slide may drop for delivery to a customer, the door being windowed so that customers may view the forward items on the slides, each slide being of channel-shape in cross section with flanges extending laterally outward from the upper edges of the sides of the channel, said mounting means including shelves in the cabinet on which the slides are slidablc and guides on the shelves for guiding the slides.

3. A vending machine as set forth in claim'Z wherein the guides have vertical legs for side-guiding the slides and horizontal flanges overlying the lateral flanges of the slides, the legs extending above said horizontal flanges for confining items endwise therebetween.

4. A vending machine as set forth in claim 2 wherein the means for. rotating the helices are located at the rear of the cabinet and each helix is disengageable from its respective rotating means when the respective slide is moved forward away from its retracted position, and wherein the means for rotating each helix includes a drive element having a forwardly facing groove, the helix having a tail at its rearward end axially engageable in and dis engage/able from the groove.

5; A vending machine comprising a cabinet having side walls, a top wall, a rear wall, and a front door, said door being windowed so that the interior of the cabinet is visible from outside the cabinetwhen the door is closed, a plurality of slides in the cabinet, said slides being located one above another. in the cabinet, means in the cabinet mounting and guiding each slide for sliding movement in front-to-rear direction'in respect'to the cabinet, each slide normallyoccupying a retracted position in the cabinet when the door is closed wherein the forward end of the slide iss'paced rearward from the'closed door-so that there is a space between the closed door and the forward ends of the slides, each slide being slidable forwardly away from its retracted position when the door is open to a loading position projecting forwardly out of the front. of the cabinet, said .door having a delivery opening toward its up out of the channel whereby items to be vended may be on each slide, which is the next item on that slide to be placed between the convoiutions of the helix on the slide, vended, being visible through the door.

said helix, upon rotation thereof in one direction, being adapted to feed said items forward and to discharge items Refefeilces Cited y the Examine! off the forward end of the slide, and means for rotating 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS each helix in said one direction to discharge the respeetive forwardmost item off the forward end of the respec- [7,5418 12/011 312*61 tive slide, the discharged item dropping through the said 3083711 4/63 Holstein et 221 75 space between the closed door and the forward ends of the slides t0 said delivery pan, and the forwardmost item 10 RAPHAEL LUPO Primary Exammer' 

1. A VENDING MACHINE COMPRISING A CABINET HAVING A FRONT DOOR, A PLURALITY OF SLIDES IN THE CABINET, MEANS IN THE CABINET MOUNTING EACH SLIDE FOR FORWARD SLIDING MOVEMENT WHEN THE DOOR IS OPEN AWAY FROM A RETRACTED POSITION WITHIN THE CABINET, EACH SLIDE HAVING A CHANNEL EXTENDING IN FRONT-TO-REAR DIRECTION IN RESPECT TO THE CABINET, AND A HELIX EXTENDING LENGTHWISE IN THE CHANNEL AND PROJECTING UP OUT OF THE CHANNEL WHEREBY ITEMS TO BE VENDED MAY BE PLACED BETWEEN THE CONVOLUTIONS OF THE HELIX, SAID HELIX, UPON ROTATION THEREOF IN ONE DIRECTION, BEING ADAPTED TO FEED SAID ITEMS FORWARD AND TO DISCHARGE ITEMS OFF THE FORWARD END OF THE SLIDE, AND MEANS FOR ROTATING EACH HELIX IN SAID ONE DIRECTION, THERE BEING A SPACE WITH SAID CABINET IN FRONT OF SAID SLIDES WHEN THE SLIDES ARE IN RETRACTED POSITION AND THE DOOR IS CLOSED THROUGH WHICH ITEMS DISCHARGED FROM THE FORWARD END OF A SLIDE MAY DROP FOR DELIVERY TO A PURCHASER, THE SLIDES BEING LOCATED ONE ABOVE ANOTHER IN THE CABINET, THE MEANS FOR ROTATING THE HELICES BEING LOCATED AT THE REAR OF THE CABINET AND EACH HELIX BEING DISENGAGEABLE FROM ITS RESPECTIVE ROTATING MEANS WHEN THE RESPECTIVE SLIDE IS MOVED FORWARD AWAY FROM ITS 